Stimulation of the endogenous hydrogen sulfide synthesis suppresses oxidative-nitrosative stress and restores endothelial-dependent vasorelaxation in old rats

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an endogenous gas transmitter with profound effects on the cardiovascular system. We hypothesized that stimulation of H2S synthesis might alleviate age-associated changes in vascular reactivity. Pyridoxal-5-phosphate (PLP), the coenzyme of H2S-synthesizing enzymes, was administrated to old male Wistar rats per os at a dose of 0.7 mg/kg body mass once a day for 2 weeks. H2S content in the aortic tissue, markers of oxidative stress, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and constitutive nitric oxide synthase (cNOS), arginase activities, and endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation of the aortic rings were studied. Our results showed that PLP restored endogenous H2S and low molecular weight S-nitrosothiol levels in old rat aorta to the levels detected in adults. PLP significantly reduced diene conjugate content, hydrogen peroxide and peroxynitrite generation rates, and iNOS and arginase activity in the aortic tissue of old rats. PLP also greatly improved acetylcholine-induced relaxation of old rat aorta (47.7% +/- 4.8% versus 18.4% +/- 4.1% in old rats, P < 0.05) that was abolished by NO inhibition with N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME) or H2S inhibition with O-carboxymethylhydroxylamine (O-CMH). Thus, PLP might be used for stimulation of endogenous H2S synthesis and correction of oxidative and nitrosative stress and vessel tone dysfunction in aging and age-associated diseases.